Zeppelin 6c+

10 pitches. A long line (of 10 pitches) up the right hand side of the pillar forming the west wide of the lower gorge, facing El Recodo. Gain the base from abseiling down by Acuario and scramble accross. A couple of long slings are handy for making the rope run well on the scramble pitches (8 & 10). From the top, walk off diagonally, heading for Cots Medios. Although only graded Fr6b+, pitch 7 is perhaps the most challenging.

With tall Shaun. Ripped a full pad flapper on the roof pitch when my feet popped, started leaking a ton of blood, lowered to the belay, clipped in and blacked out for a bit. Big up Shaun who kept it together, stuck a Mars bar in my gob and got us both down safely.

With tall Shaun. Ripped a full pad flapper on the roof pitch when my feet popped, started leaking a ton of blood, lowered to the belay, clipped in and blacked out for a bit. Big up Shaun who kept it together, stuck a Mars bar in my gob and got us both down safely.

Fell on the crux pitch after seconding the roof with the bag clean. Abit annoying but still a good route. But contrived though? Would maybe be better if it went up the arété at what looked 6b ish that through the roof. Dunno just what we thought.

Fell on the crux pitch after seconding the roof with the bag clean. Abit annoying but still a good route. But contrived though? Would maybe be better if it went up the arété at what looked 6b ish that through the roof. Dunno just what we thought.

Led P1,3,6,7,9. Christian did the two hard pitches.
Easy access from the tunnels. Bolted throughout although a few medium-sized wires might be handy on P6, the 5+ pitch. The description saying P7 is the most challenging is bonkers. It's 6b+, well bolted, brilliant climbing and pretty straightforward at the grade. Easy walk down from the top back to the tunnels and return.

with Christian

Led P1,3,6,7,9. Christian did the two hard pitches.
Easy access from the tunnels. Bolted throughout although a few medium-sized wires might be handy on P6, the 5+ pitch. The description saying P7 is the most challenging is bonkers. It's 6b+, well bolted, brilliant climbing and pretty straightforward at the grade. Easy walk down from the top back to the tunnels and return.

Incredible. Led pitch 4 and it was a thing of beauty. Campusing on huge jugs at 100m up ! Some of the slab pitches were amazing particularly pitch 9. I remember lots of laybacking on various pitches and had an epic going up the wrong line on the trad pitch (6 I think). Onsighted all my leads which I was very happy with and only fell once seconding the 6c+ pitch with a bag. Best feeling ever running up the final easy pitch

Incredible. Led pitch 4 and it was a thing of beauty. Campusing on huge jugs at 100m up ! Some of the slab pitches were amazing particularly pitch 9. I remember lots of laybacking on various pitches and had an epic going up the wrong line on the trad pitch (6 I think). Onsighted all my leads which I was very happy with and only fell once seconding the 6c+ pitch with a bag. Best feeling ever running up the final easy pitch

Epic day, but what a route. The river swelled and cut off retreat. Had to frig the roof pitch (6c), holds were really greasy and polished. Got off route on the next pitch (6c+), make sure you traverse right after the steep initial wall. Pitch 7 (6b+) had a missing hanger on the crux, so I hung a wire on the bolt and backed it up with a blind wire placement above. And sore feet on the thin pitch 9 (6b) made it feel a lot harder.

Epic day, but what a route. The river swelled and cut off retreat. Had to frig the roof pitch (6c), holds were really greasy and polished. Got off route on the next pitch (6c+), make sure you traverse right after the steep initial wall. Pitch 7 (6b+) had a missing hanger on the crux, so I hung a wire on the bolt and backed it up with a blind wire placement above. And sore feet on the thin pitch 9 (6b) made it feel a lot harder.

Soloed pitch 1, simul climbed pitches 2,3,8 & 9. Led pitches 4 (6c),5 (6c+) and 7(6b+) Very polished and greasy through the overhang but brilliant climbing. The pitches after the overhang were also pretty spectacular and were harder than expected. A really adventurous feel with old pitons between bolted belays and acres of exposure.

with Soeren

Soloed pitch 1, simul climbed pitches 2,3,8 & 9. Led pitches 4 (6c),5 (6c+) and 7(6b+) Very polished and greasy through the overhang but brilliant climbing. The pitches after the overhang were also pretty spectacular and were harder than expected. A really adventurous feel with old pitons between bolted belays and acres of exposure.

No wind on the gorge made this surprisingly hard. Some incredibly polished holds on both the 6c and 6c+ pitches. 6c+ pitch was hard to get established on from the cramped belay. Hard day out but a proper adventure. Great views and nice peace at the bottom of the gorge amongst the boulders.

No wind on the gorge made this surprisingly hard. Some incredibly polished holds on both the 6c and 6c+ pitches. 6c+ pitch was hard to get established on from the cramped belay. Hard day out but a proper adventure. Great views and nice peace at the bottom of the gorge amongst the boulders.

What a route and what a battle! Every pitch felt hard, starting with the second pitch - where are the footholds?! Nearly came off leading the 6c traverse pitch, the 6c+ pitch proved too much with the pack and baking in the sun still wearing a jumper and I fell off a few times, and nearly came off on the pitch after that. Was a furnace in the gorge today but was expecting it to be cold so took too many clothes and not enough water. Was absolutely exhausted and dehydrated by the top. Would not recommend trying to run the 6c and 6c+ pitches together, the rope drag would be terminal. Alternated leads, I led P2. Took around 8 and a half hours walking door to door from the Olive Branch.

What a route and what a battle! Every pitch felt hard, starting with the second pitch - where are the footholds?! Nearly came off leading the 6c traverse pitch, the 6c+ pitch proved too much with the pack and baking in the sun still wearing a jumper and I fell off a few times, and nearly came off on the pitch after that. Was a furnace in the gorge today but was expecting it to be cold so took too many clothes and not enough water. Was absolutely exhausted and dehydrated by the top. Would not recommend trying to run the 6c and 6c+ pitches together, the rope drag would be terminal. Alternated leads, I led P2. Took around 8 and a half hours walking door to door from the Olive Branch.

Amazing route. No need to carry any gear really...only the 6th pitch (5+) needs some care to locate the correct line of pegs, threads and the odd bolt. (Look right of the tree).Don't run pitches together. ..the drag is wild. U can easily walk down from the alcove in the tunnels to the base of the route.

with Eamon Quinn

Amazing route. No need to carry any gear really...only the 6th pitch (5+) needs some care to locate the correct line of pegs, threads and the odd bolt. (Look right of the tree).Don't run pitches together. ..the drag is wild. U can easily walk down from the alcove in the tunnels to the base of the route.

Absailed in from railway bridge. Did not seem to be any guards around but was a Sunday. Lovely Climb but harder pitches a bit out of my league. Andrew lead 4th, 5th and 7th pitches (the harder ones). I seconded these - dogged with aid. Dragged pack up the 4th pitch which made a big difference. Onsighted the other pitches though which are much easier. At the top of the 5th pitch there is a long traverse which is quite unprotected for the second and needs some care.

with Andrew Barnes

Absailed in from railway bridge. Did not seem to be any guards around but was a Sunday. Lovely Climb but harder pitches a bit out of my league. Andrew lead 4th, 5th and 7th pitches (the harder ones). I seconded these - dogged with aid. Dragged pack up the 4th pitch which made a big difference. Onsighted the other pitches though which are much easier. At the top of the 5th pitch there is a long traverse which is quite unprotected for the second and needs some care.

Awesome route, thanks kev for a great day out. Strung together pitch 1&2, 4&5 and 6&7. The last 6b pitch possibly the most enjoyable of all. The 2 crux pitches should definitely be done in one if the seconding climber is comfortable.

Awesome route, thanks kev for a great day out. Strung together pitch 1&2, 4&5 and 6&7. The last 6b pitch possibly the most enjoyable of all. The 2 crux pitches should definitely be done in one if the seconding climber is comfortable.

Bit of a long day out all in all, approach took ages as the abseils don't exist from Recondo and we had to ab of various single bolts and old trees - not recommended. The route has some great pitches in the top half and the start but the two hard pitches are either greasy/pumpy or on dodgy bolts so not as fun as the rest of the route. The 6b+ and 6b pitches at the top are the best by miles - don't go up the HVS groove - you miss the best pitch on the route! Why are the best bolts on the easiest pitches???

with Emily

Bit of a long day out all in all, approach took ages as the abseils don't exist from Recondo and we had to ab of various single bolts and old trees - not recommended. The route has some great pitches in the top half and the start but the two hard pitches are either greasy/pumpy or on dodgy bolts so not as fun as the rest of the route. The 6b+ and 6b pitches at the top are the best by miles - don't go up the HVS groove - you miss the best pitch on the route! Why are the best bolts on the easiest pitches???

Crux is the roof pitch, felt 6c+. Next pitch is only 6c. Useful advice: when belaying from the top of this pitch, hang down on a loop of rope or a 240 sling and you can see and communicate with your second. Useful, as there is plenty of rope drag. All the pitches are excellent in their own right. Really fantastic. Fell through the roof (one hard move to a smooth flat jug - reachy and powerful) but got back on, reversed and did the pitch clean. Contrary to the description, the 6b+ pitch felt fine, not hard for the grade, and it was raining while I led it. Technical and imaginative moves, but not hard.

Crux is the roof pitch, felt 6c+. Next pitch is only 6c. Useful advice: when belaying from the top of this pitch, hang down on a loop of rope or a 240 sling and you can see and communicate with your second. Useful, as there is plenty of rope drag. All the pitches are excellent in their own right. Really fantastic. Fell through the roof (one hard move to a smooth flat jug - reachy and powerful) but got back on, reversed and did the pitch clean. Contrary to the description, the 6b+ pitch felt fine, not hard for the grade, and it was raining while I led it. Technical and imaginative moves, but not hard.

Abbed in from railway bridge. Definitely safer than coming in from Recodo. 60m rope does it fine.
P1 (4+) - SJ led. Up a right trending groove past older bolts to a belay next to a tree.
P2 (6a+) - WH led. Climb a puzzling slab past very shiny new staple bolts and some suspect looking but surprisingly solid rock.
P3 (5) - SJ led. Past more good staples trending right to a belay on the left of the orange slab below the roof.
P4 (6c) - WH led. Climb the orange slab to a juggy break in the roof. Traverse right on steep ground until you can clip the next belay on the lip. Clipping the belay proves to be the crux of this pitch! Good staple bolts all the way.
P5 (6c+) - SJ led. From the belay on the lip traverse difficultly left to a rusty bolt. From this climb steepy through the wall above on some good and some not so good holds past bolts of a similar age to the first. Difficulties ease substantially after the third bolt. Trending slightly left will require some wires and careful movement on suspect rock before coming back right to a double bolt belay (not as new as the other belays). With the heavy bag on I used the first three bolts as points of aid.
P6 (VS) - WH led. Trend up and right across the slab via cracks and some aging fixed gear (threads and pegs). Aim for a pair of bolts higher up below a crack in an obvious groove. Past these step right to a cluster of older bolts to belay.
P7 (HVS) - SJ led. Step down and left from the belay past a bolt and a peg to a newer looking bolt at the foot of the obvious groove. Layback up this groove on good trad gear to top out on a ridge and a double bolt belay.
P8 (3) - WH led. Walk along the ridge with the odd move of climbing here and there past some intermittent bolts. Belay by a tree on a fresh double bolt belay (the same staples as on the lower pitches).
P9 (6b) - WH led. Climb to the top of a pinnacle then continue up occasionally using the arete past excellent bolts.
P10 - SJ led. Climb easily along the ridge past the occasional bolt at the harder steps and a few wires if needed to a double bolt belay on a terrace next to Sector Las Nubes. A 70m rope will do this fine.

Abbed in from railway bridge. Definitely safer than coming in from Recodo. 60m rope does it fine.
P1 (4+) - SJ led. Up a right trending groove past older bolts to a belay next to a tree.
P2 (6a+) - WH led. Climb a puzzling slab past very shiny new staple bolts and some suspect looking but surprisingly solid rock.
P3 (5) - SJ led. Past more good staples trending right to a belay on the left of the orange slab below the roof.
P4 (6c) - WH led. Climb the orange slab to a juggy break in the roof. Traverse right on steep ground until you can clip the next belay on the lip. Clipping the belay proves to be the crux of this pitch! Good staple bolts all the way.
P5 (6c+) - SJ led. From the belay on the lip traverse difficultly left to a rusty bolt. From this climb steepy through the wall above on some good and some not so good holds past bolts of a similar age to the first. Difficulties ease substantially after the third bolt. Trending slightly left will require some wires and careful movement on suspect rock before coming back right to a double bolt belay (not as new as the other belays). With the heavy bag on I used the first three bolts as points of aid.
P6 (VS) - WH led. Trend up and right across the slab via cracks and some aging fixed gear (threads and pegs). Aim for a pair of bolts higher up below a crack in an obvious groove. Past these step right to a cluster of older bolts to belay.
P7 (HVS) - SJ led. Step down and left from the belay past a bolt and a peg to a newer looking bolt at the foot of the obvious groove. Layback up this groove on good trad gear to top out on a ridge and a double bolt belay.
P8 (3) - WH led. Walk along the ridge with the odd move of climbing here and there past some intermittent bolts. Belay by a tree on a fresh double bolt belay (the same staples as on the lower pitches).
P9 (6b) - WH led. Climb to the top of a pinnacle then continue up occasionally using the arete past excellent bolts.
P10 - SJ led. Climb easily along the ridge past the occasional bolt at the harder steps and a few wires if needed to a double bolt belay on a terrace next to Sector Las Nubes. A 70m rope will do this fine.

Caught out by a wrong weather forecast, ended up leaving the wall at 10pm with a extremely bad description of the walk off from the rock fax book (says a scramble, its more like a severe with trad gear!) very cold walk home in hail at -6c

Caught out by a wrong weather forecast, ended up leaving the wall at 10pm with a extremely bad description of the walk off from the rock fax book (says a scramble, its more like a severe with trad gear!) very cold walk home in hail at -6c

Lawrie summed it right up in his comment! long and epic day, would be a brilliant route in the dry but made for a real test of grit when the hail started and even more so when it got dark! Be warned - you pull your rope down from the bridge and that's it you're in for the long haul. Also when you top out on the 6th pitch (6b+)(where we got hit with the first bit of hail), you end up on a nice ledge looking up the arete. Look over the other side and get an idea of the terrain you will be coming down in case you get caught out in the dark, you will be glad of it.

Lawrie summed it right up in his comment! long and epic day, would be a brilliant route in the dry but made for a real test of grit when the hail started and even more so when it got dark! Be warned - you pull your rope down from the bridge and that's it you're in for the long haul. Also when you top out on the 6th pitch (6b+)(where we got hit with the first bit of hail), you end up on a nice ledge looking up the arete. Look over the other side and get an idea of the terrain you will be coming down in case you get caught out in the dark, you will be glad of it.